Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Cuireadh an snáithe seo sa chartlann. Cuir ceist nua má tá cabhair uait.

Can I suspend Firefox asking for Primary Password?

more options

I'd like to easily be able to suspend Firefox from constantly asking for my Primary Password. There are often times when I don't need to enable Firefox Password from filling in passwords and don't need to login to my account at any particular website, but want to lookup information. For example, I may want to see if an item is available on Amazon and what the options are without having to login to my account. But as soon as I go to Amazon -- and for every, single page I access while there -- the "Enter Primary Password" box pops up and I can't continue without clicking "cancel". If I enter my Primary Password just once it stops asking. But I'd prefer to be able to easily tell Firefox to not enable Firefox Password and ask for my Primary Password until I want it enabled; perhaps by having a toggle button in the menu bar? I see there's what sort of looks like a method for this if you search for "Firefox keeps asking for Primary Password", but it state that it applies when using AVG and another security software, but I'm not using either of those. Maybe it continues to ask after entering it when using one of these software? I tried it anyway and it didn't make any difference. Is there a way to do this? Thanks.

I'd like to easily be able to suspend Firefox from constantly asking for my Primary Password. There are often times when I don't need to enable Firefox Password from filling in passwords and don't need to login to my account at any particular website, but want to lookup information. For example, I may want to see if an item is available on Amazon and what the options are without having to login to my account. But as soon as I go to Amazon -- and for every, single page I access while there -- the "Enter Primary Password" box pops up and I can't continue without clicking "cancel". If I enter my Primary Password just once it stops asking. But I'd prefer to be able to easily tell Firefox to not enable Firefox Password and ask for my Primary Password until I want it enabled; perhaps by having a toggle button in the menu bar? I see there's what sort of looks like a method for this if you search for "Firefox keeps asking for Primary Password", but it state that it applies when using AVG and another security software, but I'm not using either of those. Maybe it continues to ask after entering it when using one of these software? I tried it anyway and it didn't make any difference. Is there a way to do this? Thanks.

All Replies (4)

more options

I think the only 100% sure way is to turn off Firefox's Password Manager feature when you don't need it and turn it back on when you want to use it. There is a checkbox for this on the Options page --

-- and the corresponding preference on the about:config page is named signon.rememberSignons (set false to disable, true to re-enable).

I realize neither of those is convenient.

Maybe there is some other setting that makes Firefox less eager to access saved logins when visiting Amazon which doesn't require such drastic action.

more options

Note that there is no way to block Firefox from asking the Primary Password if you are using Sync because Firefox needs to access the Password Manager to get the credentials of the Sync account.

more options

It's not just Amazon; that was just an example. It's every website I visit where I have previously saved a login. If I don't want or need to login, Firefox asks for my Primary Password on every single page that I visit on that website. e.g. I go to Amazon, "Primary Password?"; search for an item, "Primary Password?"; click on an item, "Primary Password?"; return to the search results, "Primary Password?"; etc. I'm going to submit a suggestion that they add a means of toggling it off.

more options

blumarble said

I'm going to submit a suggestion that they add a means of toggling it off.

You mean a more convenient method? There is the method I mentioned earlier:

jscher2000 said

There is a checkbox for this on the Options page -- -- and the corresponding preference on the about:config page is named signon.rememberSignons (set false to disable, true to re-enable). I realize neither of those is convenient.